Thursday, March 5, 2015

From Heaven's Eyes

This week I came across a startling article on LifeNews.com entitled "7 Incredibly Shocking Quotes from Planned Parenthood Founder Margaret Sanger." As a white supremacist and a eugenicist, she was determined to purge society of those she referred to as "human weeds," and the "dead weight of human waste...human beings who never should have been born at all." She had a deep disdain for minority groups, especially African Americans, as well as those who were poor, those who had immigrated to America, those who had disabilities and those who had diseases. She was even quoted as saying, "We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro Population." The following quote sums up her main goal in founding Planned Parenthood. "Birth control is nothing more or less than...weeding out the unfit." Today, the money-making abortion giant has built its bloody empire off of this woman's evil ideals.

My heart was filled with grief as I went on to watch a short video attached the article. It shared statistically that, while African Americans make up 13% of the U.S. population, they account for 30% of abortions. Abortion is currently the leading cause of death in this precious community, greater than all other causes combined. As I sorrowed over these horrible realities, I though of my own son. While individuals with Down syndrome make up a very small percent of the overall population, the abortion statistics are sky high, with over 90% of women who receive a pre-natal diagnosis choosing to end the life of their child. All I could think was, "How many lives have been destroyed? How many destinies have been lost?" The numbers are staggering.

Later that same day Shawn and I attended an incredible community worship service called "Releasing the Sounds of Heaven." I was deeply impacted by a beautiful group of people who I didn't even know would be there. At least 17 young people, ranging in ages from young adulthood down to childhood gathered at the front, forming a small band and choir. Most of them were either African American or Native American. The most incredible thing is that they are all connected to the same family through adoption. An elderly Caucasian woman who has had these children on her heart since her childhood has adopted the majority of them, and her daughter has followed in her footsteps, adopting several herself. One of the lead singers introduced their group and shared that though they all came from broken backgrounds, they are not allowing that to hold them back, but are stepping into the plans and purposes of God in their lives. I later learned that they all get together a few times a week to spend time with each other and to worship Jesus through their original music. I found myself weeping as I looked at all these beautiful faces, each one created in the image of God, whose lives were not destroyed and whose destinies have not been lost. Their birth mothers chose to give them life, and some extraordinary families have seen the treasure in each child, taking them in as their own and raising them up to be world changers!

Once again, I think of my sweet son Benjamin, who just happens to carry an extra chromosome. There are those in the world who would see him as "defective" or "damaged." There are those who would even go so far as to say that he should have never been born. However, my son's life looks very different from Heaven's eyes. According to Ephesians 1:4, God "chose (Benjamin/insert your own name) in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight." There is something unique that my son brings to the world that no one else can bring. There is a portion of the heart of God that cannot be seen in anyone else than him. This is true of each and every life. Sadly there are many lives that never discover their God-given destinies, but this does not change the fact that each individual carries purpose, even from the womb. May we learn to recognize, honor and value each an every life through Heaven's eyes!

The picture below is a few years old now, but I believe it captures the beautiful reality of the grace on my son's life to connect with Heaven and the God Who loves him so much. Benjamin, may your life always resound with the testimony of the goodness, faithfulness, power, and eternal love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
 


2 comments:

  1. I'm glad I found your blog. I loved this post. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks, Amber! I'm glad you found my blog too and that it has encouraged you. : )

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